La Vie en Rosé
by Theatrekid98
Summary: Éponine Thénardier, a gamin girl, victim of abuse and hoplessly in love with her best friend. Forever this will change when she is shown the true meaning of love, and is given as much love back as she deserves and as much as ahe has always given Monsieur Marius by another. Two unexpected people coming together- Enjolras and Éponine.
1. Chapter 1

"Dear Diary" I wrote in this small, dusty book i managed to nick from the bag of a wealthy man earlier. I had just finished my writing course for my First year at Montmantre University, and this diary extract would be the first read paper I would write out of class.

"In my life, I've never loved a person as much as I loved him. He had always been my best friend, since we were little, but of course he didn't think of me as a love interest, not in a million years! Why would a posh, spoilt, handsome and such a highstrong man, love a rotten, dirty, skinny and weak common street gamin from the roughest areas of Paris? All my life I've been wondering why he even talks to me, even that's surprising that he would spend his time talking to me. He never notices me though, not completely anyway... he just uses me to find out things, gossip because I know every part of the city, every street name and every person. He gives me money, not because he cares about me, but because he pity's me. I need money.

My family, well what's left of it lives off rat bones and leftovers from the disgusting inn that we own. Our inn in Montfermeil whent bust, but Father found up a rundown old cafe and "transformed" it into an inn. It still looks like that rat hell hole we bought a few years back but so what. My family needs money, obviously, or we wouldn't be pick pocketing every rich Monsieur who stepped foot in the inn or out on the streets. However Monsieur only does it for favours, if I do something for him he'll give me money, it only works his way. I do not want anyone's pity.

He knows about the abuse I recieve from my Father and his vicious gang. He also knows I get raped by one of the gang members, Montparnasse, and he also is fully aware that my Father has driven my brothers Gavroche, Phillipe and Hugo out the house and on to the streets. Most nights I sleep in dark alleyways because my Father kicks me out on the street, or maybe I was out too late wandering, and if I went back late, my Father would probably drunkenly beat me hard. I slept on the street last night, in a dark alleyway. Quite damp, but my corset was already filthy as it was and I was already freezing whatsoever, so it made no difference whatsoever. I have only two items of clothing, a corset I wear every school day and then my usual corset. My school corset is what I'd call my "clean dress", even though the rips and dirt had wore it down. My other dress I wear to sleep, eat, walk and everything else in- It has never been washed before."

Today was my last day of my university first year and seeing as I wasn't home, I would have to wear my dirty dress to school. Summer was nearing, and I couldn't help but get excited! I could run away for the summer, seeing as I had nothing to do in the day, and return before next term. I could perhaps escape to the countryside and run away into the meadows and the fields of wheat, blue flowers and red poppies. Of course I knew none of this would ever come true...

Suddenly, I felt someone grab my arm as I was walking up the stairs to the main school building. "Éponine my dear!" It was Marius.

"Bonjour Monsieur Marius. Last day before summer! Fancy running away somewhere with me?" I asked, though he thought I was joking, I was actually serious.

"Oh you are a funny girl 'Ponine! Why don't you come over to the Café tonight and have a laugh? Haven't seen you there for a few weeks," he said cheerfully. I sighed.

"Marius you know I do enjoy going there, but I don't drink you know me, and remember that last time we went with eachother there?" I yelled.

"Yes. Yes I do remember 'Ponine! It was my birthday party and you got too drunk. I know what happened then and I won't repeat it to embarass you..."

"I had never spoken to him before in my life!" I cut him off with a yell, but a whispered one. "That man, whom I'd never met in my life and haven't seen since, was the man who I jumped on and snogged Marius! So I'll ask you one thing," I pause, taking a deep breath. " Will he be there tonight?"

"No 'Ponine, he won't. So I'll see you later after school? Meet me by the Café Musain at 6:00?" He says, then kissing me on the cheek. He runs inside the building and I'm left open-mouthed, touching the cheek he had kissed.

The bell rang and I made my way to the lesson, late as usual.

"Miss Thénardier, take a seat at the back. You're late!" The professeur shouted at me, trying not to loose her calm.

"Maddame, why is there an empty seat here? Aren't we usually full?" I ask the teacher.

"A student from the second year asked to resit the second year next year, ao he will be joining us here for our last lesson of term to be aware of the surroundings in his new English class. His name is Monsieur Enjolras and he will be sat at the back because he is late," she explains. At that moment, the door creaks open to reveal a handsome young man. He had familliar, unmistakeable curls, which I already knew my hands had been tangled in, and he dressed quite smartly. Not as posh as your typical bourgeois, but he certainly looked like he had money alright. He walked nearer and nearer to me and I picked up his scent, recognizing it instantly. HE WAS THE BOY I KISSED IN THE CAFÉ A FEW WEEKS AGO! IT WAS HIM!

"Take a seat there Enjolras, next to Miss Éponine. I'm sure you two will get along just fine seeing as you were both late to the lesson today! I would give you both detention, but that obviously would not be possible today," spat the teacher. My heart started pounding, my cheeks turned red and then, the worst thing imaginable... he smiled at me. I gave him a nervous smile back, then turned away.

"Bonjour Miss Éponine. You do look familliar pardon me, but I do know you from somewhere. Have we met before?" I was embarrassed, so I shook my head and whent back paying attention to the teacher. This was going to be a nightmare!

"Maybe... but I do run into all kinds of folks everyday Monsieur, so I wouldn't be surprised if we had met before you know," I said, still looking at the teacher, not making eye contact with his gorgeous blue eyes. Of course I was lying to him, how could you forget those glowing blue eyes and his unmistakable golden curls. He wore quite a scruffy looking red waistcoat, scruffy for his type though- this kind of scruffy didn't even come near my kind of scruffy!

After the lesson, I quickly packed up my things and hurried away from Enjolras, even though I could hear him call after me. I dissappeared down the hall and hurried to find Marius, who was waiting, leaning on one of the large pillars outside, his nose in a novel.

"Good evening Monsieur Marius, had good lessons today?" I asked him, but contasting my enthusiastic mood, he let out a sigh. "What's wrong? Is everything okay?"

"Everything is alright I guess..." he sighed. "but next term I'm being held back a year for one of my classes." I felt actually quite bad for him in this moment. My aim was now to try to comfort him to the best of my abilities, though he never really did the same for me.

"Was it your French literature class?" I asked.

He shook his head. " No it was my politics, philosophy and economics class. Really went down this year on my grades. I wonder why..." he looked so sullen and fed up. I knew the reason for this all too well. My aims to try and comfort him we're thrown out of the door.

"Don't take offence to what I'm about to say Marius, but its because you've been spending too much time with that goddess Cosette! I'm trying to help you when I say this, but theres a place for everything! You should balance your academic life with your personal life. Lucky for me I have no personal or social life unlike you, so I don't have to do this, but you on the other hand have all three! I'm just trying to help you when I say this..." I said, hoping he would understand.

"You're probably right 'Ponine, but I have all summer to balance this out. So what do you say... fancy coming down to the Musain with me tonight? Cosette will be there..." he said.

"Okay I guess," I agreed. Though Cosette was sleeping with the man I secretly loved, I couldn't help but get along with her- she wasn't too bad after all.


	2. Chapter 2

It was beginning to get dark. The open street which the Musain stood at the rear end of was starting to lose the big crowds of today. This was one of the main areas of meeting in the area, with most of the male students coming together to meet at their sacred café. Marius had many friends, and I had been aquainted to most of them, although a few would consider me a friend. Combferre was one of Marius' best friends, and I might say he is my favourite of the bunch. Coufeyrac, Joly and Feuilly were all students in the same block as I was, so I saw them around often. Joly was training to be a medic, Coufeyrac a lawyer and Feuilly a professor at mathematics. There were a few others that I hadn't been aquainted to before; Grantaire, the one I always saw drinking, Lesgle, Bahorel and Jean Prouvaire. My brother, Gavroche was also a part of the group, but he no longer lived with my family. He lived in a gang on the streets with other homeless boys of his age, though I did hear talk that Coufeyrac had taken him in himself. Enjolras, the golden-haired boy from my class today or as they all called him, "The man of marble" was their leader, but since I had drunkenly made out with him, I had been trying to avoid him. I was just hoping he wouldn't be there tonight, as Marius had promised.

As I stepped into the busy café, people began to leave. I had obviously chosen a sensible time to turn up. The only ones left were Marius, Cosette, the rest of the students and a few other people. I skimmed the room and saw no sign of Enjolras, thank God. Marius was right.

Just then Cosette's eyes and mine made contact and she waved across the room to me. "Éponine dear! Come join us over here!" She shouted above the noise towards me, standing nervously by the door. She waa sitting on a sofa facing another sofa, which Marius and the drunkard Grantaire were sat, a few feet away from the bar.

"Hello Cosette, haven't seen you since god knows..." I sighed, sitting down next to her.

"Since you made out with that boy and you had to stay in my place over night... yeah that was a rough night," she said. I dug my head into my palms and groaned loudly.

"I could do with a glass of champagne to be honest with you..."

"Of course dear, let me get one for you now," Cosette replied, getting up from her clearly comfortable spot on the couch and walking to the bar.

"I think I'll just have to go over and talk to Joly about me moving down a year in one of my classes. He's going to try and sort it out for me at the moment," Marius said and left from his seat on the couch opposite.

Cosette returned from the bar with a glass af champagne and two full glasses of gin and tonic.

"Who are the G&T's for Cosette?" Grantaire asked.

"You two. Now I'm going to join Marius in whatever conversation he's having over there and persuade him to come home," she said, placing the glasses down and walking away.

"Bet she's going to try and persuade him to do other things when they get home too?" Grantaire joked. He waited for a reaction from me, but when he got none, he gave up and layed down on the couch. "You're that chick who loves Marius ain't ya?" he asked. I turned bright red.

"How did you find out?!" I exclaimed. "I've never told anyone!" Grantaire laughed. "What's so funny?!" I demanded.

"Its just so blatantly obvious girl. Everyone here knows it... everyone except for one." He hesitated, letting me finish.

I knew it to be true. I already knew who had no idea. "Marius."

"Ya trail him like his own shadow, and 'e never notices you one bit. Shame really. I think you're extremely hot. But he goes for the stuck-up blonde! He's mad babe I'm telling ya now. You can do ten times better than that angel kid Marius Pontmercy!"

I began to sob. Grantaire was right. Why was I continuously following something I knew would never end up how I wished. What was the point if even myself knew that he would never love me, or even notice I loved him...

"Why are you crying?" Grantaire asked. I could see he was beginning to panic.

"Its just-" I sighed. "You're completely right! I'm such a nobody. I have to move on from that stuck-up, snobbish boy I fell in love with," I said, my voice trembling. I began to sob harder, taking a large swig of my gin and tonic. I collapsed, laying down on the sofa.

"Grantaire what the hell are you doing?! Are you drunk? Have you been interrogating this girl, why is she crying? Who is she?!" A familliar voice was raised. I couldn't clearly see who the man was, for the tears in my eyes were blurring the room out. All I could see was a red waistcoat worn on his chest.

"Yes I probably am drunk, no I have not been interrogating this girl, she is crying because she thinks she's a faliure and she's in love with her best friend." Grantaire took a deep breath before continuing. " And as for the girl... you already know her."

"What? Who is she?" the man asked.

"That girl who made out with you at Coufeyrac's birthday bash! Don't you rem-" Grantaire was suddenly hit over the face with the book Enjolras had in his hand.

"Don't embarass her now Grantaire, she might be awake," he said, then ushered him away.

They both went over to sit down at the large round table. I could hear Enjolras' strong voice above all the noise silencing them. He then proceeded to tell them that General Lamarque was dead, whoever he was. There was much commotion after that, and since he was a general, he must've been important. Only then did the commotion die down snd they began speaking wuieter and quieter, planning something secret I supposed...but then again, they could be saying anything. I eventually fell asleep on the couh, dozing off listening to the various conversations I could hear at once.

About an hour later, the noise had died down, but everyone was still here, drinking, talking and smoking. It was almost 11:00. I opened my eyes and jumped out of my skin... a man was sitting opposite me, his nose in his book,reading away. I noticed his hair, though I could not see his face...

"Enjolras," I said out loud. I cursed to myself when he looked up at me.

"Hello Éponine. You were sleeping quite peacefully when I came over, I hope I didn't wake you," he said calmly. He was so inviting, and such a gentleman. Marius would never treat me this way.

"No, er you didn't," I went red in the face.

"You're blushing. Why? Are you attracted to me?" He winked at me, teasing. I laughed.

"No, I'm sorry if I might seem crazy saying this but..." I tried to spill it out.

"We've kissed before," he finished for me. I looked away with embarassment. "I do remember. You were a good kisser, even when drunk I must say."

"Oh my God I am so sorry! I was pissed when I did that and I wasn't thinking straight. Marius was just kissing Cosette in the corner of the room and I threw myself at the nearest person to me. I'm sorry."

He laughed. "It's fine, don't worry about it! I've done some stupid things when drunk I must say. But can I just ask you one question..." he asked.

"Go ahead," I replied.

"Why do you keep going back to him? He breaks your heart every time, and you yet again still chase him every day, even though he is in love with that Cosette girl! No need to be rude..." I started to cry. He looked taken aback.

"If I had a franc for every time I heard that, I could easily be richer than any bourgeois in the whole of France! Just stay away from me, its none of your buisness!" I spat in his face. Though I regretted it, it still felt good. He stood up.

I panicked and ran out of the café and up the street. It was raining and I wasn't wearing any shoes. At the top of the street I could hear people calling my name, probably Enjolras or Cosette, but I didn't turn back to look. I kept on running, and I ran all the way home. I reached the front door of the inn, where my father was outside smoking a fat cigar.

"What bloody time do you call this you filthy swine? Half past eleven?! Are you drunk too?" My father screamed, grabbing hold of my arm and digging his fingers into my skin. He was clearly the drunk one.

"No! Father I promise I'm not!" I begged, but he hit me across the face. I could feel my pulse in my cheeks- the pain was excruciating.

"'Ave you been out drinking in that posh café of yours with those rich bourgeois boys again?! I'm telling you that is no place for a filthy street rat like you dear. So have you been there drinking? Spendin all our precious money on expensive wine?! I can smell that champagne on you!" He hit me again, this time twice as hard across he other cheek. I screamed in pain and dropped to the floor.

"Father I swear I haven't been there I swea-" I tried begging but then he kicked me in my ribs four times as I screamed out loud.

"Don't lie to me little bitch! I know where you've been! You've been trailing that boy Pontmercy haven't ya dear?! Believe me, he don't wan anything to do with the scum o tha street young girl! He don't want anything ta do with a pathetic nobody like ya!" Then I got the worst blow of all. He picked my body up and threw me against the floor. My head cracked on the pavement, and then I heard my father curse to himself. He proceeded to drag me around a few blocks, presumably not to leave me outside his inn, or he'll have questions to answer from the police.

"Now you listen to me rat. If anyone finds you hear, you're not to tell 'em it was ter father who did this ta you?! Okay?" I nodded with the tiniest piece of strength I had left. Then I was left to die, to die in an ocean of my own blood.


End file.
